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Blackpool2 - 0Reading

Goals from DJ Campbell and Charlie Adam kept Blackpool in contention for a play-off spot and pushed Reading back towards the relegation zone.

On-loan Leicester striker Campbell opened the scoring with a clinical finish after a clever pass from Adam.

Adam then got on the scoresheet with a fine strike to register his 13th goal of the campaign and end Reading's four-match winning run in the Championship.

The hosts looked for a third as Keith Southern hit a post from 25 yards.

It was a second successive home win for Ian Holloway's men and a welcome boost to their play-off bid.

The Seasiders settled quickly and free-scoring midfielder Adam went close with a shot from 25 yards that flew just wide.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher also tried his luck from long distance with a shot that warmed the hands of Royals goalkeeper Adam Federici.

Reading finally came to life and Jobi McAnuff saw a fierce shot blocked by David Vaughan, who then showed his attacking prowess moments later with a fierce left-footed shot that Federici did well to tip round a post.

Ian Evatt had a shot well blocked by Matthew Mills before team-mate Southern was similarly denied as Reading's goal began to lead a charmed life.

The hosts deservedly opened the scoring when Adam's clever pass from the right flank found Campbell and he drilled in a right-footed shot from 12 yards.

Adam went close to getting on the scoresheet with another vicious shot and Federici produced a smart stop to deny substitute Hameur Bouazza from 12 yards.

Yet Blackpool were not to be denied and they wrapped up the points with 16 minutes remaining as Bouazza cut the ball back from the right flank and Adam hit a right-footed shot from 18 yards into the bottom corner.

Holloway's side were dominant and Southern almost made it three when he fired against a post.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway: "It was a difficult game for both sides but we did the right things. Reading won four games in a row so that is a major scalp for us.

"We put our bodies in the right places and scored two magnificent goals.

"We dropped nine points in three games so we're playing catch-up but there's a lot of the season left and an awful lot of points still to fight for."

Reading manager Brian McDermott:

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"The pitch makes it a bit of a lottery but, having said that, they played the pitch better than we did - although I know Ian doesn't want to play on a pitch like that any more than we do.

"We were flat today. We didn't do enough and I don't know why that is.

"We have come off a really good run and what's happened today doesn't make us a bad team, just as the first great wins didn't make us into world beaters."

Live text and stats

Saturday, 20 February 2010

Championship

Home Team

Score

Away Team

Time

Blackpool

2-0

Reading

FT

(HT 1-0)

Campbell 41

Adam 74

Blackpool

21 Gilks

03 Crainey

06 Evatt

15 Baptiste

28 Butler

04 Southern yellow card

11 Vaughan

26 Adam

10 Ormerod (Burgess 66)

12 Taylor-Fletcher (Bouazza 22)

19 Campbell (Dobbie 78)

Substitutes

01 Rachubka,

05 Eardley,

16 Bouazza,

30 Husband,

09 Burgess,

18 Euell,

33 Dobbie

Reading

01 Federici

05 Mills

24 Bertrand yellow card

40 Griffin

44 Khizanishvili

06 Gunnarsson (Sigurdsson 32)

11 McAnuff

14 Kebe

20 Karacan (Rasiak 63)

34 Howard

18 Church (Thorvaldsson 54)

Substitutes

21 Hamer,

26 Pearce,

07 Tabb,

19 Robson-Kanu,

25 Sigurdsson,

23 Rasiak,

36 Thorvaldsson

Ref: PawsonAtt: 7,147

BLACKPOOL

READING

Possession

Blackpool52%

Reading48%

Attempts on target

Blackpool9

Reading5

Attempts off target

Blackpool8

Reading2

Corners

Blackpool3

Reading7

Fouls

Blackpool8

Reading12

Final Result

Full Time

90:00+4:06 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00+2:44 Stephen Crainey handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Shot comes in from Gylfi Sigurdsson from the free kick, save by
Matthew Gilks.

90:00+2:16 Brian Howard takes a shot. Andy Butler gets a block in.

89:57 Corner taken right-footed by Gylfi Sigurdsson from the left by-line, clearance by Keith Southern.

89:47 A cross is delivered by Gylfi Sigurdsson, blocked by Keith Southern.

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